The present invention relates to methods and systems for maintaining components of application programs in a client/server network environment. A client is a personal computer or a workstation that operates on a network to execute various application programs. A server is typically a larger, centralized computer on the network which services the clients by providing programs, files and data, and by controlling hardware devices shared by the clients.
An application program typically comprises a number of components each of which exists as a separately addressable file, and where each component is identified by a version number, perhaps indicating its creation date. An application program may typically undergo numerous revisions and updates throughout the course of its operational existence on the client. In the network environment, an application program on the client can be kept current by replacing one or more of such components, or by adding or deleting components. The components having the latest version numbers can be maintained on the central server and distributed from the server to each individual client as needed through a standard file transfer protocol.
In the prior art systems, the version upgrading or component upgrading procedures are driven by the central server through complex interactions between the server and client systems.